1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a weight plate for use with body building equipment, in general, and, more particularly, to a weight plate having a cartridge therein which includes an external toggle lever which actuates an internal mechanical pin to conveniently, safely and simply engage a connection union mounted in or adjacent weight plates.
2. Prior Art
Body building equipment (also referred to as physical fitness equipment or exercise apparatus) often takes many forms to provide the resistance necessary to tear down muscle tissue during an exercise regimen. Many ingenious resistance developing systems or machines have been developed utilizing, for example, systems which incorporate a selectable weight stack. By design, the known equipment allows a user to, within the module, increase weight as the available resistance is incrementally selectable. These systems often promise faster and better results for exercisers. However, despite the advancement of mechanical and/or biomechanical devices which may benefit muscle growth, little effort has been made to simplify and/or make the selectable weight stack safer.
Conventional weight stacks are, typically, multiple layers of metal-based plates which collectively and, generally, amass an aggregate gross amount of weight. Generally, a weight stack includes a plurality of rectangular weight plates, typically about one inch thick and about 10 inches long by 4 inches wide. Each conventional plate incorporates four bore holes therein. Three throughbores pass vertically through the thickness of the plate from the top surface to the bottom surface. The fourth bore hole passes horizontally within the width of the plate (between the top and bottom surfaces) and intersects the middle one of the three vertical bore holes. Two throughbores engage or receive a pair of spaced-apart guide rods and cause the plate to track vertically thereon.
The middle throughbore accommodates a center post. The typical center post has multiple diametric throughbores to receive a selector pin which passes through the fourth throughbore. Thus, each plate may be independently selected by way of manually inserting a selector pin which is, typically, slightly longer than the width of a plate and has a knob of sorts on one end so that a user may better manipulate the selector pin. The pin is inserted through the fourth throughbore in the plate and a throughbore in the center post to lock the weight plate to the center post for selectively moving that weight plate vertically either up or down, as well as any weight plate supported thereon.
Although traditional weight stacks, such as those described above, have succeeded in carrying out the intended weight lifting purpose, there are many areas for substantial improvement.
One key problem often associated with traditional weight stacks is that the selector pin is removable and, as a result, is often misplaced, stolen or damaged whereupon it is replaced with a functionally and/or structurally inadequately sized pin. This inappropriate replacement historically has caused bodily injury when the system fails due to the violation of the inherent design of the apparatus.
The removable pin also permits the user to easily modify the operation of the apparatus outside the manufacturer's design criteria for the plates and/or weight stack.
Additionally, there is a level of dexterity and hand-to-eye coordination required to effect the insertion of the selector pin in the horizontal throughbore of the weight and the center post which further limits the true and effective result.
In other weight plates, latch levers are rotated at one of the surfaces of the weight plate to selectively engage a notch or groove formed in the center post or hanger bar as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,221 to Itaru. These devices are subject to slippage of the levers unless an extremely complicated system of levers is utilized and precisely locked in position.
Yet other weight plates included sliding plates, described in U.S. Pat. No. 772,906 to Reach, which are cams formed in the weight plates to effectively engage lugs on an adjacent weight plate.
These latter devices are subject to large manufacturing costs and are cumbersome to use as well as having clear safety issues.
Therefore, the need exists for a more manufacturable weight plate having a construction that minimizes confusion on the part of the user, possibility for misuse or failure, yet retains the convenient exchange of weight with a single finger of a human hand. The weight plate of the present invention satisfies this need.
CO-PENDING APPLICATIONSM. NalleyWEIGHT PLATE WITHSer.No. 10/970,267EXTERNALLY ACTUATEDINTERNAL LOCKING DEVICEM. NalleyWEIGHT STACK APPARATUSSer.No. 29/227,244M. NalleyWEIGHT STACK APPARATUSSer.No. 10/868,065WITH INTERLOCKING DEVICE